Shower valve

ABSTRACT

A valve for interrupting the flow of water between a source and a showerhead wherein the valve includes a soap dish moveable from a closed to an open, soap retrieving position, the soap dish being attached to the valve whereby movement of the soap dish to the closed position permits flow of water through the valve to the showerhead, and movement of the soap dish to an open, soap retrieving position closes the valve interrupting water flow to the showerhead. Soap is therefore only accessible when the water flow is interrupted.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to valves and valving systems, and moreparticularly to plumbing valves for use in commercial and residentialplumbing installations. Specifically, this invention relates to valvesfor the control of water flow to bathroom or changehouse showerinstallations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Showering enjoys a considerable popularity in society both in theresidential setting and in the commercial world. Among the factorsbelieved contributing to the popularity of showering are its convenienceand perhaps enhanced hygiene relative to bathing.

A shower can be undertaken virtually as soon as water of a desiredtemperature is available; there is no waiting for a bath tub to fill. Ashower can be accomplished quickly without the need to alternately standand sit for lathering and rinsing. In a shower, the user does not soakin water contaminated with material washed from his or any one elses'sbody. The temperature of a shower can be adjusted by simply altering theflows of hot and cold water being mixed to produce the shower; it is notnecessary to alter the temperature of an entire tub of water.

A shower can be accomplished in a relatively economical surface area,generally about 1/2 the floor area needed for a personal bath. In anindustrial setting a large number of people can be provided with ashowering position with each enjoying a stream of fresh water forshowering uncontaminated by contact with the skin of another. The floorspace necessary for accommodating the showerees is generally about 1/2or less of what would be required for individual bathing tubs and thecost of providing individual showers as opposing individual bathing tubsis relatively quite small.

In addition, for many users, a shower can be more efficient from thestandpoint of water usage. Depending upon the flow of water through ashowerhead during a shower, and the duration of the shower, a lesserquantity of water generally is consumed in showering as opposed to thatconsumed during bathing in bathing in individual tubs.

More recently, with substantial increases in the cost of energy requiredto produce heated water generally desirable for either showering orbathing, the quantity of water consumed during bathing or showering has,for some, become of increasing importance. While the economic impact ofshower water flowing for an extra minute each day during a home showermay not be of particular importance to the homeowner, the impact of ahundred or more showers flowing a minute longer each day in a commercialsetting may have significant economic impact. It becomes desirabletherefore to identify and implement methods for reducing still furtherthe quantity of water consumed during showering.

Where water supplies are scarce and/or costly, achieving reductions inthe quantity of water consumed during showering acquires additionalimportance. Where water rationing has been imposed, individuals may findmethods for automatically curtailing the flow of water during a showerto be attractive. Particularly where persons using a showering stationhave no personal or vested interest in conserving water flow through ashower, such as in hotels, motels, changehouses, and in certainresidential settings, non discretionary methods for curtailing showerwater flows could find considerable utility.

A number of proposals have been put forward to assist in conservation ofwater during showering. The most simple, of course, consists ofrequesting users to turn off the flow of shower water during periodswhen water flow is not essential, such as during lathering. With mostshower valves, however, a shower water flow is achieved by adjustingseparate flows of hot and cold water directed to a showerhead.Re-establishment of a suitably temperate mixture following adiscontinuance of flow can produce an occasional traumatic contact withwater of a substantially undesired temperature. Further, where a showeruser having no vested interest in water flow conservation balks atvoluntary conservation, little can be done to enforce this voluntarymethod of conservation in such a closely personal environment such as ashower.

In another proposal, a flow of shower water has been timed to providewater for a period necessary to complete showering for a typical user.Often the flow periods have been divided to provide a short period forwetting the showeree's body, followed by a second period for rinsinglather from the showeree's body. Such timed flows can leave a deliberateshower user soapy, only partially cleaned, and/or otherwise unhappy.

In another quite common proposal, a valve is provided in the supply ofwater to the showerhead by which the flow of water to the showerhead maybe interrupted. Typically this valve is located upon the showerhead andfunctions regulate the intensity and perhaps the pattern of water flowthrough the showerhead as well as in some proposals to substantiallyterminate water flow through the showerhead. Such valves rely, however,upon discretionary use by the individual showering, and typically areignored by most users.

The period of a shower wherein the individual is lathering with soap orshampoo is particularly amenable to elimination of water flow. Waterflow is generally not necessary for the lathering process once theindividual showering is wetted thoroughly, and may actually bedetrimental by dint of washing away a portion of lather being generatedbefore the lather can be used to effectively clean the individual'sbody. A method for involuntarily restricting, or preferablyinvoluntarily eliminating water flow during the lathering phase of ashower could find wide application particularly where the showers areutilized by individuals having no incentive or vested interest inreducing water flows during a shower voluntarily.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a valve for restricting or eliminatingwater flow to a showerhead during the lathering phase of a shower.Elimination of water flow is activated by the physical act of retrievingsoap or shampoo for use in lathering, and water flow is re-establishedby closing access to the soap or shampoo.

The valve includes a valve body and a means within the valve body forinterrupting water flow through the valve body as well as an actuatingmeans for imposing the interrupting means into the water flow therebyreducing or terminating water flow through the valve body. The actuatingmeans includes a receptacle for soap and/or shampoo, hereinafter soap,the receptacle being moveable between a closed position and an openposition by which soap can be retrieved from the receptacle. Theactuating means is configured whereby with the receptacle in the closedposition, water flow through the valve is uninterrupted by theinterrupting means, and with the receptacle in the open or retrievalposition, water flow through the valve is interrupted by theinterrupting means.

Preferably the valve is of configuration wherein only a 1/4 rotationalturn or less of the actuating means is required to interrupt the waterflow, such as a ball valve, plug valve, or certain configurations of adiaphragm valve. In certain preferred embodiments the source of water isa divided source or dual source of hot and cold water, and the valveincludes a section for mixing the hot and cold water in a virtuallyinfinite ratio. The mixing section provides a ratio of hot and coldwater that is maintained not withstanding an interruption of water flowinduced by opening of the receptacle, so that when water flow to theshowerhead is re-established, the water flow is immediately of adesirably temperate character.

The valve of the present invention without the mixing section can beused as an addition to an existing plumbing installation supplying ashower, or, with a mixing section, can be substituted for an existingplumbing system for controlling a mixed water flow from hot and coldsources to a showerhead. In plumbing systems providing a water flow a apredetermined temperature for use in showers and/or baths, the valve ofthis invention may be installed without the mixing section to eliminateshower water flow during lathering.

The above and other features and advantages of the invention will becomemore apparent when considered in conjunction with a preferreddescription of the invention and the drawings that follow, togethercomprising a portion of the specification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an overview of a valve made in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view in partial cross section of a valve made inaccordance with the invention.

FIG. 3 is an elevational section view of a portion of the valve of FIG.2.

FIG. 4 is an elevational section view of a portion of the valve of FIG.2 from a vantage point rotated somewhat from the view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a top view in partial cross section of an alternate preferredembodiment of a valve made in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 6 is an elevational section view of a portion of the valve of FIG.5.

FIG. 7 is a top view in partial cross section of a mixing section of avalve made in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 8 is a section view of the mixing section of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a section view of the mixing section of FIG. 7 taken 90° fromthe section view of FIG. 9.

FIG. 10 is a section view of a shaft for use in the mixing section ofFIG. 7.

BEST EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the Drawings, FIG. 1 provides a general view of a showervalve 20 made in accordance with the instant invention. The shower valve20 includes a valve body 21 having a mixing section 23, and a flowinterrupting section 24. The shower valve 20 includes a shield 25 havinga handle portion 26 that can perform as a washcloth hanger, and areceptacle 27 for soap 28 and/or a shampoo container 29. The receptacle27 includes an outlet 30 that can perform as a drain for the receptacleor as a dispenser for shampoo or soap product in liquid form containedwithin the recpetacle 27. A control handle 31 is provided upon the valve20 for regulating the mix or hot and cold water exiting the mixingsection 23.

Referring to FIG. 7, the mixing section 23 can be seen to include aratioing means or body 34. The ratioing means or body 34 includes a coldwater inlet 35, in liquid flow communication with a cold water chamber36; a hot water inlet 38, in liquid flow communication with a hot waterchamber 39; and a blended water chamber 41 in liquid flow communicationwith a blended water outlet 42, seen best in FIG. 9.

Referring to FIG. 8, a cold water valve seat 45 and a hot water valveseat 46 are provided respectively upon the cold water chamber 36 and thehot water chamber 39 and perform to provide liquid flow communicationbetween the chambers 36, 39 and the chamber 41. Generally concentriclyshaped cold 48 and hot 49 water valve discs are provided configured tobe received upon the seats 45, 46 whereby flow of water from aparticular chamber 36, 39 can be terminated.

A shaft 52 is provided oriented along an axis 53. The conical discs 48,49 are fixedly carried upon the shaft 52 at a predetermined longitudinalposition along the shaft 52. The shaft 52 protrudes through the ratioingmeans 34. A seal or stuffing 54 is provided to preclude leakage of hotor cold water along the shaft 52 from the chamber 36. The shaft 52terminated in a threaded portion 55.

The control handle 31 includes a recess 56 threadably receiving thethreaded shaft portion 55 whereby rotation of the control handle 31threadably draws the shaft 52 into the threaded recess 56 or withdrawsthe shaft 52 from the threaded recess 56 depending upon the rotationaldirection of control handle 31 movement.

The control handle 31 further includes a keeper notch 57 circumferentingthe control handle. A decorative shield 58 or cover is providedsurrounding the ratioing means 34, and the cover 58 includes a keeperlip 59 engaging the keeper notch 57 performing to retain the controlhandle in fixed dimensional relationship with the cover 58 and theratioing means 34.

The shaft 52 includes a flattened portion 62 best seen in FIG. 11. Abearing 63 is provided within the ratioing means 34 configured toreceive the flattened portion 62 snugly. The bearing 63 performs tosupport the shaft 52 along the axis 53 within the ratioing means 34assuring that the discs 48, 49 are alignably received in the seats 45,46. The flattened portion 62 of the shaft 52 co-operates with thebearing 63 to perform in preventing rotation of the shaft within theratioing means 34 as the control handle 31 is turned to draw the shaft52 within the threaded recess 56.

It may be seen that by rotational movement of the control handle 31, thevalve discs 48, 49 can be advanced upon the seats 45, 46. It should beapparent that because of the discs 48, 49 being fixedly positioned uponthe shaft 52, advancement of one disc 48 towards its corresponding seat45, retracts the other disc 49 from its corresponding seat 46. Theeffect of such movement is to increase the flow of hot water from thechamber 39 and decrease the flow of cold water from the chamber 38 intothe blended water chamber 41. Converse movement of the control handle 31correspondingly reduces the flow of hot water and increases the flow ofcold water into the blended water chamber 41. An essentially infinitevariation in the ratio of hot and cold water available in the blendedwater chamber 41 can thereby be achieved.

The ratioing means includes, in addition, a diaphragm seat 66. Themixing section 23 is retained to the valve 20 using any suitable orconventional fastening means such as screws 69.

Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, the flow interrupting section 24includes a flow interrupter 75, in this best embodiment a diaphragm, andan actuating means 76 including a flow interrupting section body 77. Thediaphragm 75 is generally imposed between the flow interrupting means 76and the ratioing means 34 and also performs as a seal to preclude fluidleakage where the means 76 and 34 are joined. The diaphragm seats 66, asbest seen in FIG. 9 are configured to be generally approximately flushwith the interconnection between the body 77 and the ratioing means 34.Where the diaphragm is pressed into forceful contact with the valveseats 66, fluid flow from the chambers 36, 39 into the outlet chamber 41is precluded, and flow of liquid from the valve 20 is arrested. Wherethe diaphragm is permitted to relax from forceful contact with thediaphragm seats 66, fluid flows readily from the chambers 36, 39, intothe outlet chamber 41, and is available at the outlet 42.

A pallet 78 is provided configured to provide a relatively flat surfacefor forcefully pressing the diaphragm 75 against the valve seats 66. Aplurality of supports 79 provide a generally geometrically balancedlifting support for the pallet 78. These ball-like supports 79 in turnfind foundation upon a base 80 rotatingly received within the housing77. The base includes a plurality or sloping recesses 81 formed into thebase, their number being at least equal to the number of pallet supports79 founded upon the base. Optionally, a sliding pad 82 may be receivedin the housing 77 for assisting in rotation of the base 80 within thehousing 77.

The sloping recesses 81 are configured to receive the pallet supports 79in a closely conforming relationship. Rotational movement of the basepermits the pallet supports 79 to be received in the recesses 81 andpermits the pallet 78 under the impetus of water pressure within themixing section 23, to move downwardly. Downward movement of the palletpermits relaxation of the diaphragm 75 from forceful contact with thevalve seats 66, permitting water flow into the outlet chamber 41 fromthe chambers 36, 39. Conversely, opposite rotation of the base forcesthe pallet supports 79 from the recesses 81, lifting the pallet 78, andforcing the diaphragm into forceful contact with the valve seats 66.Water flow into the outlet chamber 41 is thereby terminated.

The receptacle 27 is connected to the base 80 whereby rotation of thereceptacle 27 along arc line 32 as shown in FIG. 2, also rotates thebase 80. Connection may be made by any suitable or conventional meanssuch as by studs 83. The recesses 81 are configured so that anapproximate 90°-100° rotation of the base, and thereby of the receptacle27, suffices to foreclose water flow from the valve 20. Preferable a 15°rotation of the receptacle 27 suffices to terminate flow under mostcircumstances.

The receptacle 27 is connected to the base whereby when the receptacleis closed and soap or shampoo enclosed therein is inaccessible, waterflow is permitted through the valve 20, the diaphragm 75 being permittedto relax from the diaphragm seats 66. Rotational movement along arc line32 as shown in FIG. 2 of the receptacle 27 to the full line position asshown in FIG. 2 and the position as shown in FIG. 1, that is, from aclosed position whereby access to soap is effectively precluded by theshield-like handle 25 to a position whereby soap or shampoo within thereceptacle may be accessed, lifts the pallet 78 into contact with thediaphragm 75, pressing the diaphragm into firm or forceful contact withthe diaphragm seats 66. In this manner, water flow through the valve isterminated while a person using the valve 20 for a shower water supplyis lathering. Conversely, while the soap dish is in the closed positionas shown by phantom lines in FIG. 2, access to the soap is precluded.

In an equally preferred embodiment, and referring to FIGS. 5, and 6, thepallet supports 79' are knob like protrusions, having a sloping edge,and are formed into the pallet 78'. The sloping recesses 81' areconfigured to receive the knob like pallet supports 79' in a base 80'.The base rests upon an adjustable table 86 that can be threadably raisedor lowered to assure a forceful press of the pallet 78' against thediaphragm 75' and therefore of the diaphragm 75' against the diaphragmseats 66. The housing includes two portions 77'a and 77'b sealed forliquid flow by an "O" ring 87 of suitable or conventional material.

The diaphragm 75, 75' is generally formed of a suitable or conventionalelastomer such a butyl rubber or a chlorinated or fluorinatedelastomeric rubber like material. The housing 77, 77'a, 77'b, the base80, 80', the pallet 78, 78', the pallet supports 79, 79', the receptacle26, and the table 86 can be formed from any suitable or conventionalmachinable or castable material including thermosetting andthermoplastic resins, metal, and composite materials such as reinforcedfibre glass. Likewise the components of the mixing section 23 may beformed from similar materials. Generally the seats 45, 46 should be of aharder material to resist erosion, as is well known in the art ofvalves.

Where water is available at a temperature suitable for showering from asingle source, a mixing section 23 is unnecessary. The invention may besimplified by providing an inlet and outlet (not shown) separated by adiaphragm seat (not shown) permitting the diaphragm 75 to be interposedto interrupt liquid flow between inlet and outlet.

In another equally preferred embodiment where a single source ofdesirably temperate shower water is available, the valve 20 may be aball type valve (not shown) of any suitable or conventional type havinga ball and stem (not shown) a receptacle 26 in accordance with theinvention being affixed to the stem for rotation fixedly with the stemwhereby opening and closing of the receptacle turns the stem and therebythe ball enabling interruption of water flow through the ball valve.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail, it should be apparent that various modificationsand alterations can be made thereto without departing from the scope ofthe claims that follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. A valve for interrupting the flow of waterbetween a source and a showerhead comprising: a valve body; means withinthe valve body for interrupting water flow through the valve body; andactuating means for imposing the interrupting means into the water flowthereby terminating water flow through the valve body, the actuatingmeans including a receptacle configured to receive a soap product andbeing moveable between a closed position and a position whereby soap canbe retrieved from the receptacle, the actuator means being configuredwhereby with the receptacle in the closed position water flow throughthe valve body is unimpaired by the interrupting means and with thereceptacle in the retrieval position water flow through the valve isinterrupted by the interrupting means.
 2. The valve of claim 1, thesource being a dual source of hot and cold water, and the valveincluding a section for mixing the hot and cold water sources in avirtually infinite ratio.
 3. The valve of claim 1, the valve being aball valve including a flow interrupting ball, and an actuator having astem for moving the ball from a flow non interrupting to a flowinterrupting position within the valve, and a soap receptacle attachedto the stem for actuating the stem.
 4. The valve of claim 1, the valveincluding a body having an inlet and an outlet; a diaphragm seatarranged between the inlet and outlet; a diaphragm; a pallet forpressing the diaphragm against the seat to terminate water flow throughthe valve; a base rotatingly received within the valve body andincluding a plurality of sloping recesses formed in the base; aplurality of pallet supports configured to be received in the slopingrecesses, and positioned between the base and pallet, the number ofsupports being equal to the number of sloping recesses; and the soapreceptacle being attached to the base whereby movement of the receptacleto a closed position rotates the base whereby the supports are receivedin the sloping recesses permitting movement of the pallet and diaphragmaway from the diaphragm seat, and whereby movement of the receptacle toa soap retrieving position rotates the base whereby the pallet supportsare forced from the sloping recesses and move the pallet towards thediaphragm seat forcing the diaphragm against the diaphragm seat andinterrupting water flow through the valve.
 5. The valve of claim 1, thevalve including a body having separate sources of hot and cold water; anoutlet; a ratioing means for proportioning flow of hot and cold waterthrough the valve body; a diaphragm seat arranged between the suppliesof water and the outlet; a diaphragm; a pallet for pressing thediaphragm against the seat to terminate water flow through the valve; abase rotatingly received within the valve body and including a pluralityof sloping recesses formed in the base; a plurality of pallet supportsconfigured to be received in the sloping recesses, and positionedbetween the base and pallet, the number of supports being equal to thenumber of sloping recesses; and the soap receptacle being attached tothe base whereby movement of the receptacle to a closed position rotatesthe base whereby the supports are received in the sloping recessespermitting movement of the diaphragm away from the diaphragm seat, andmovement of the receptacle to a soap retrieving position rotates thebase whereby the supports are forced from the sloping recesses and movethe pallet forcing the diaphragm against the diaphragm seat and andinterrupting water flow through the valve.
 6. The valve of claim 5, theratioing means including separate receiving chambers connectable toreceive the separate sources of hot and cold water; a pair of valveseats formed one into each of the receiving chambers opposing oneanother along a line of axis; a pair of discs; a shaft located along theline of axis and carrying the discs in a fixed position upon the shaft;means for slidingly advancing and retracting the shaft along the line ofaxis from a position whereby one disc is received in a correspondingvalve seat thereby closing off admission of one source of water to thevalve body, to a position whereby the other disc is received in theremaining valve seat thereby closing off admission of the other sourceof water to the valve body; and bearing means for supporting the shaftalong the line of axis and for preventing rotation of the shaft.
 7. Thevalve of claim 6, the means for advancing and retracting the shaft beinga threaded interconnection between the shaft and a control handle,rotation of the control handle drawing the shaft within the controlhandle and thereby drivingly advancing and retracting the shaft withinthe vavle body along the line of axis the control handly being locatedexternal to the valve body, and being sealed against flow of water alongthe shaft from the valve body to a point external to the valve body.